Here Are 12 Awesome Road Trips In Texas That Are An Absolute Must-Take

With summer vacation fast-approaching, that means it’s time to start planning some epic road trips with your friends and family! Luckily, Texas offers many fun-filled road trips, whether you want to go hiking, tubing, sight-seeing, or just drive through the beautiful countryside. If you’re short on ideas for road trips, put these 12 Texas road trips on your to-do list!

Walk in the tracks of dinosaurs along the Paluxy River in Glen Rose, just outside of Fort Worth. You can actually see old dinosaur tracks in the riverbed, and track sites are clearly marked on a map so you can easily locate the footprints of these ancient creatures. Probably one of the coolest road trips you will ever take.

This giant mount of molten magma is an absolute must-see for every Texan; while you're in Fredericksburg, you can also explore this charming small town full of bakeries with a German flair, main-street boutiques, and family-owned peach orchards.

You'll have to drive pretty far to get here, but it's well-worth it to see the Guadalupe Mountains, Big Bend National Park, and the Franklin Mountains in El Paso. You can also go down into Marfa and check out the famous Marfa lights.

East Texas has its own small-town country charm, with hundreds of miles of thick forests, towering pine trees, and little towns to stop in for some serious southern comfort food done right. From Beaumont it takes about 4 hours to reach Texarkana, so this makes for a perfect family road trip, and you can stay at a bed and breakfast somewhere along the way to get the full East Texas experience.

Take a drive into South Texas and relax on some of the best beaches in the state, see aquatic life up-close-and-personal at the Texas State Aquarium, or take a tour of the famous USS Lexington battle ship, now transformed into a museum.

With so much to see in this part of a state, a road trip to the hill country is definitely in order. Drive through the cascading hills of Marble Falls, tube the Guadalupe, Comal and San Marcos Rivers, explore the many state parks in the area such as Pedernales Falls, or spend the day splashing and sliding at Schlitterbahn. The beauty of the hill country is just something everyone should experience, especially in the summertime.

Arguably the best city in Texas, you will never get bored in the capital city. Eat at some of the most unique restaurants in the state, see the bats fly out from under the Congress Ave Bridge in the summer, take a tour of the Texas Capitol Building, visit one of the many music festivals held in the city, or go paddle-boarding on Lady Bird Lake. Oh, and if you really can't find anything to do, you could always get a tattoo (there's a shop on almost every street in Austin).

You can eat almost every single kind of cuisine in the world and never even leave this city. Aside from the wide variety of food, Houston also has one of the largest gallerias in the country for the shopaholics out there, plus plenty of museums and theaters for art and science lovers.

You don't have to go to France to see the Eiffel Tower..we have our own little replica right here in Paris, Texas! In addition to this widely popular landmark, you can also tour the historic district with beautiful old homes, art galleries, museums, and shopping at the Town Square.

Drive along the legendary Route 66 in the Texas Panhandle, which will take you 178 miles through old ghost towns and historic relics and attractions, such as the Devil's Rope Museum and Phillip's 66 Service Station in McLean, Bugg Ranch in Conway, and the highly-visited Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. While I-40 has replaced much of the original route, some remnants of 66 parallel the interstate as a frontage road.

This city is overflowing with a mix of the Spanish culture, lively nightlife, fun family attractions, and historic sites like The Alamo. Top things to do include taking a stroll down the River Walk, trying the delicious authentic Mexican food, visiting SeaWorld and Six Flags, and sight-seeing in the historic districts of the city.

Ready to hop in your car and hit the road yet? What other awesome road trips do you love to take in Texas?

Texas staff writer for Only in Your State, blogger for Power of Positivity, and freelance health, wellness, and travel writer. I spend any chance I get traveling, enjoying nature, trying out new recipes, and meditating. I love sharing smiles, good food, and great conversation :)